Screed extension device

ABSTRACT

A SCREED EXTENSION DEVICE IS DISCLOSED FOR USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH MACHINES FOR LAYING ASPHALT PAVEMENT. SUCH MACHINES NORMALLY EMPLOY A HOPPER FOR HOLDING HOT ASPHALT LOCATED SO AS TO DISCHARGE THIS ATERIAL INTO A DISTRIBUTION CHAMBER WHERE THE ASPHALT IS DISTRIBUTED GENERALLY OVER THE AREA TO BE PAVED. AS THE MACHINE IS MOVED A SCREED MEMBER AT THE REAR END OF THE DISTRIBUTION CHAMBER TENDS TO STRIKE OFF AND LEVEL OFF THE ASPHALT DEPOSITED THROUGH THE ACTION ACHIEVED IN THE DISTRIBUTION CHAMBER. THE SCREED EXTENSION DEVICES OF THE INVENTION ACT AS PART OF SUCH A PAVING MACHINE SO AS TO INCREASE THE DIMENSIONS OF THE DISTRIBUTION CHAMBER AND THE SCREED MEMBER AS THE PAVING MACHINE IS OPERATING SO THAT AREAS OF VARYING WIDTHS ON EACH SIDE OF THE PAVING MACHINE MAY BE PAVED.

March 23, 1971 A. PouLsEN 3,572,227

SCREED EXTENSION DEVICE v Filed nec. 5. 196e A 7mm/Ey 3,572,227 SCREEDEXTENSION DEVICE Arne Poulsen, Clackamas, Oreg., assignor to Gerald C.Bower, Inc., Orange, Calif. Filed Dec. 5, 1968, Ser. No. 781,474 Int.Cl. Ellie 19/22 U.S. Cl. 94-45 6 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE Ascreed extension device is disclosed for use in conjunction withmachines for laying asphalt pavement. Such machines normally employ ahopper for holding hot asphalt located so as to discharge this materialinto a distribution chamber where the asphalt is distributed generallyover the area to lbe paved. As the machine is moved a screed member atthe rear end of the distribution chamber tends to strike off and levelolir the asphalt deposited through the action achieved in thedistribution chamber. The screed extension devices of the invention actas part of such a paving machine so as to increase the dimensions of thedistribution chamber and the screed member as the paving machine isoperating so that areas of varying widths on each side of the pavingmachine may be paved.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Machines for laying pulverant material suchas hot asphalt on the ground are commonly employed. These machinesnormally are constructed so as to include a hopper for receiving thepulverant `material to be layed upon an earths surface. In such machinesnormally the hopper discharges into a distribution chamber where thematerial received from the hopper is spread out over the surface toreceive this material. Frequently such a distribution chamber containsan auger or similar structure which is intended to equalize thequantities of pulverant material deposited by such a machine throughouta width corresponding to the Width of the machine.

A machine of this type normally includes what is referred to as a screedor screed member at the rear of the distribution chamber for leveling ofthe pulverant material deposited in the distribution chamber. Frequentlysuch a screed or screed member is formed so as to tamp or otherwise tendto compact material deposited. Whenever machines of the type indicatedare used, however, certain problems are often apparent.

These problems concern the width of the strip of pulverant materialwhich can be deposited. In general with such machines the width of sucha strip corresponds to the width of the distribution chamber. Normallysuch machines are co-nstructed so that this is the width of the machineitself. With such machines `it is impossible to normally lay down astrip of pulverant material which is comparatively narrow and/ or to laydown a strip of material which is only slightly wider than the width ofthe distribution chamber. Frequently situations are encountered wheremachines are used to lay down a layer of asphalt adjacent to a curbwhere the areas to be covered are of an irregular width and are onlyslightly larger than the width of the machine. A single pass of aconventional machine in these circumstances will leave an area uponwhich the asphalt is not deposited which is suiciently narrow so thatthe paving machine cannot be used to lay it down. As a result,frequently the asphalt required in such an area has to be filled in byhand. This is laborious and expensive.

BRIEF DECRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention is concerned withscreed extension devices which can be used on existing machines forlaylng United States Patent O down a layer of pulverant material such asso-called paving machines for depositing a layer of hot asphalt. Withthe present invention the screed extension devices are constructed insuch a -rnanner that they may be attached to and form a part of thescreed or screed member in such a machine. If desired they may beintegrally constructed as a part of such a machine.

In addition, the devices of the invention are constructed in such amanner as to be capable of being operated during the operation of such amachine so that the machine itself can be used to lay down a strip ofconstant or varying width which is slightly larger than the strip ofpulverant material which can be deposited by such a machine normally.These screed extension devices of this invention are capable of beingused at only one side or on both sides of a machine for depositing alayer of pulverant material depending upon a users desires.

From this it will be apparent that an objective of this invention is toprovide screed extension devices which can be used on existing machinesfor depositing a layer of pulverant material of such a nature that alarger strip of such material can lbe deposited with these machines thanformerly possible and of such a nature that the width of the strip ofmaterial deposited may be continuously varied as required, as, forexample, when laying pulverant material adjacent to an irregularboundary for such material. Further objects of this invention are toprovide screed extension devices of the type described which may bemanufactured at a comparatively nominal cost, which may be easily andconveniently used and which are capable of .giving prolonged, effectiveperformance. I.

Each of the screed extension devices of this invention has a unit whichincludes a mounting member adapted to be mounted at the rear of adistribution chamber in a machine for depositing hot asphalt, a cut-olfor strikeofr" plate and an end plate assembly movably mounted on themounting member so as to be capable of being moved with respect to thedistribution chamber and means for `moving this assembly with respect tothe mounting member. When a device such as this is used, the end platein effect becomes an end member for the distribution chamber. Preferablytwo of the units are used together in a complete device of thisinvention, one at each end of a machine for discharging pulverantmaterial, and the two members are attached by a common mountlng.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further details of this invention, aswell as many advantages of it, will be apparent from the accompanyingdrawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a presently-preferred ernbodiment or formof a screed extension device of the present invention employing twoseparate screed extension units joined by a common member;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlargement of the left half of the device shownin the preceding ligures;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken at line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken at line 5-5 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary enlargement of a portion of FIG. S.

The phantom lines shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 illus* trate a portion of aconventional machine for depositing a layer of pulverant material withwhich the illustrated screed extension device is used.

The illustration of a presently-preferred embodiment or form of thescreed extension device of this invention is not to be taken as limitingthe invention in any respect. It will be realized that various changesand modifications may be made in the precise device shown through theuse or exercise of routine engineering skill.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawing there isshown a screed extension device installed upon a rear surface 12 of adistribution chamber 14 within a conventional machine 16 for laying downa pulverant layer such as hot asphalt. Because machines such as themachine 16 are conventional and well known, details of this machine arenot illustrated. It is to be understood that the machine 16 willnormally include a hopper or related structure for receiving pulverantmaterial for discharging this material into the chamber 14.

It will be understood that this chamber 14 will normally include a screwor auger or other equivalent structure for distributing pulverantmaterial between the sides 18 of the chamber 14 and of the machine 16upon a ground surface underneath the chamber 14 as the machine 16 isadvanced in a forward direction. At the rear of the chamber 14 themachine 16 includes a conventional screed or screed member 20 whichtends to smooth out any material deposited. Such a screed or screedmember 20 may and normally is constructed so as to tamp the depositedmaterial.

The device t10 includes an elongated, L-shaped, structural member 22which extends between the sides 18 of the chamber 14 when installed inplace on the rear surface 12. In the drawing no fastenings are shown forsecuring the structure from the member 22 in place on the member 12. Itis to be understood that conventional fasteners such as bolts may beeasily employed for this purpose.

At each of the ends of the member 22 a screed extension unit 24 ismounted by means of two bolts 26 to the member 22. The heads of thesebolts 26 are secured in any convenient manner to mounting housings 28 ofa generally rectilinear shape so that the bolts 26 themselves extendthrough the member 22. These bolts 26 are secured in place by nuts 30 ineffect serving as hangers.

Preferably these bolts 26 carry between the housings 28 and the member22 protective angle-shaped brackets 32. These brackets 32 are secured inplace in a fixed, spacial relationship with respect to the housing 28 bymeans of other nuts 34. With this construction the relative spacingbetween the member 22 and the housings 28 can be adjusted throughadjustment of the nuts 30. The housings 28 also carry lower slottedbrackets 36 which are adapted to be secured to the rear surface 12 bymeans of other conventional fasteners such as bolts 38.

Each of the units 24 includes an assembly of a cutoff or strike-offplate 40 and an end plate 42. Each end plate is attached to thecorresponding strike-off plate 40 so as to extend from it at asubstantially right angle. Each of the end plates 42 may be providedwith slots 44 adjacent to its lower edge 46 for use with conventionalfasteners 48 such as bolts in adjustably securing a footlike lowerextension 50 in place. Such extensions 50 may be used when necessarybecause of the vertical height of the machine 16.

Each of the strike-off plates 40 is provided with a top flange 52 and acentral surface 54 dimensioned so that this flange 52 and surface 54will fit between the bracket 32 and the housing 28 in such a manner thatthe bracket 32 and the housing 28 will act essentially as a track so asto guide or control the motion of the strike-olf plates 40. This enablesthe strike-off plates 40 to be moved linearlly along the length of thehousings 28 so that these strike-off plates 40 overlay the housings 28with the end plates 42 substantially flush with the ends of the housings28 or so that the strike-off plates 40 extend from the housings 28 wellbeyond the sides 18 in the machine 16.

When so constructed the cut-off plates 40 operate as extensions of thescreed member 20. It will be noted that the surfaces 54 of thestrike-off plates 40 overlay closely to the housings 28. The lowerportions 56 of the cut-off plates 40 are curved so as to extend at anangle to the screed members 20 so that the entire strike-off plates 40terminate at lower edges 57 located closely adjacent to the screedmember 20. This effectively tends to preclude any accumulation ofmaterial between the cut-off plates 40 and the screed member 20. Theshape of these cut-off plates 40 is also considered to tend to promotesatisfactory deposition of material during the use of the machine 16 andthe device 10.

Preferably the edges 57 of the strike-Cif plates 40 are parallel to andspaced slightly above the lower edge 58 of the screed member 20. Thisallows for the deposition of a greater height of material beyond thesides 18 of the machine `16 than in the area traversed by the screedmember 20. When the screed member 20 is of a conventional tamping type,this provides an excess of material at the sides 18 of the machine 16which can be compacted to substantially the same height as the materiallayed down in the area traversed by this screed member 20.

In'each of the units 24, the assembly of the plates 40 and 42 is movablymounted so as to be capable of motion as previously described throughthe use of telescoping tubes 60 and 61 mounted on the end plates 42 andWithin the housings 28. These telescoping tubes 60 and 61 in effect actas stabilizers so as to also guide or control the motion of thestrike-olf plates 40 in a linear path. The tubes 60 are located on theplates 42 and are secured to these plates 42 at their ends Whereas thetubes 61 are secured to the interiors of the housings 28 at theirexteriors by any convenient means, such as welding. It will be notedthat the tubes 60 are isolated from the distribution chambers 14 bymeans of the cut-off plates 40.

Relative motion between the housings 28 and the assemblies of thecut-off or strike-off plates `40 and the end plates 42 in each of theunits 24 is accomplished through the use of conventional hydrauliccylinders 62. These cylinders 62 are attached to the housings 28 in aconventional manner by way of fasteners 66. The piston rods 68 extendingfrom the cylinders 62 attached to the end plates 42 by brackets 70.

Conventional hydraulic lines 72 are used to control the operation ofthese cylinders 62 through the use of appropriate conventional hydraulicmeans (not shown). With this type of control the cylinders 62 in theunits 24 can be concurrently operated or they can be operatedindependently of one another. As a result of this it is possible toutilize the screed extension units 24 at either side 18 of the machine16 so as to lay down strips of uniform or varying widths as may berequired or desirable.

As the complete device 10 is used the end plates 42 in the screedextension units 24 in effect form or define the ends of the chamber 14.Normally in such a chamber there is adequate material distribution sothat during operation the amount of material located against the units24 is substantially constant, regardless of whether these units 24 areretracted to a point where the end plates 42 are at the sides 18 orwhether these units 24 are extended so that the end plates 42 are spaceda reasonable distance from the sides 18.

From a detailed consideration of the aforegoing, it will be apparentthat the complete device 10 is very advantageous for certain types ofuse and that it adds materially to the utility of different types ofmachines such as the machine 16. It will be apparent that only a singleone of the units 24 need be employed to gain advantages in accordancewith this invention, but that maximum improvement on machines such asthe machine 16 can be made with the complete device 10.

I claim:

1. A structure for use in a machine for depositing pulverant material,said machine having a distribution chamber and a screed member at therear of said distribution chamber, said structure comprising:

a screed unit to extend the effective length of said screed member,

said screed unit including an elongated housing adapted to be mounted infront of said screed member, said housing being dimensioned to holdremote controlled means for moving an assembly,

a mounting member for mounting said housing in front of said screedmember, said mounting member being connected to said housing,

said screed unit also including said assembly, said assembly comprisinga strike-off plate and an end plate, said plates being located at aright angle to one another, said strike-oilc plate extending in front ofsaid housing,

guide means carried by said housing for guiding the linear movement ofsaid assembly relative to said housing,

said screed unit also including said remote controlled means, saidremote controlled means being for moving said assembly linearly in frontof said housing, said remote controlled means being supported withinsaid housing and extending therefrom to said assembly and beingconnected to said assembly,

said remote controlled means being isolated from the interior of saiddistribution chamber in all positions of said assembly when said housingis mounted in front of said screed member by said housing and by saidstrike-oil plate.

2. A structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said guide means comprise track means and wherein a portion of saidstrike-off plate is carried by said track means.

3. A structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said guide means comprise interttting means on said mounting member andon said assembly for stablizing said assembly with respect to mountingmember so that said assembly can be moved linearly.

4. A structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

the lower portion of said strike-oi plate is curved so as to extendupwardly at an angle away from the bottom of said screed member.

5. A structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

there are two of said screed units, one of said units being located atone end of said screed member and the other of said units at the otherend of said screed member,

said mounting member extends between said screed units, and

said remote controlled means are independently operable.

6. A structure as claimed in claim '1 wherein:

said guide means comprise both track means carrying a portion of saidstrike-off plate and interfitting means on said mounting member and onsaid assembly for stablizing said assembly with respect to said mountingmember so that said assembly can be moved linearly,

there are two of said screed units, one of said units being located atone end of said screed member and the other of said units being locatedat the other end of said screed member,

said mounting member extends between said screed units, and

said remote controlled means are independently operable.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,583,108 l/l952 Lewis 94-442,948,202 8/ 1960 Millikin 94-45 2,962,949 12/1960 ODea 94-45 3,029,7144/ 1962 Creswell 94-44 3,230,845 1/1966 Mauldin 94-44 3,335,646 8/1967Crayton 94-46 JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Primary Examiner

